Process for separating pith from fiber from bagasse.



was s new SEPALEMATING PETE; I'R'Qlll FIBER llibfilili BAG-ASSE.

throwing.

To all whom it may concern." I

Be it'lmown that l, \CHARLES lFt-tl fiomuxn, citi'en of the United States, residing ti hen llrieens, in the parish of @rleans sncl Louisiana, have invented certain "nil. useful improvements in Processes .ting Pith from Fiber from Beor Whion the following is a specifica- U cone from which. lingesnc is cleis o. men'iber of the large family of ses-trmnnaccaa.-of the tribe Andra coon, end its botanical name is saccharine .oji'cna'mm. or Amanda soccharifem. its height varies according to the SOll and ohmatic conditions governing its growth. runging-to fifteen feet or more. The stalk is divided into joints or nodes. These joints couture and cast their leaves, until finally a nckecl stalk with only a few leaves at its upper extremity remain. An nveruge sample of ll lertiniquecsne at maturity, contuinsruntsr ?l.04.% sucrose 18.02%, fiber 9.56%,

nitrogeiious notter 0.55%, resinous, fatty and colorin? rnctter 0.35% and ash 0.48%.

lo. other Words its average content is juice 90xl-l%, fihe'r 9.56%.

Bngesse is the name applied in the United titetes (in"son1e sections of the world the term megussc. is used) for the residue of sugar cane after the juice has been extracted.

has been used for fuel and for esttle and stock feed and has been successfully (lrieelfor these purposes yours ego. Athnve been made to use the fiber oi? iJc-gesse'ior fabrication without economical success. This has been due to failure to properly treat the loagasse. An average ton of Louisiana bagesse reduced to n dried state contains approximately: Water 7.72%, nitrogen 0.36%, ammonia, (Mat /U, protein. fut 0.50%, carbohydrates 42.58%, crude fiber 43.50% and ash here is not an economical process known .ich all the sugar can be extracted from sugar cane. Every ton of bsgasse produced contains certain amount of sugar. This exists in "Wet hogesse (as it leaves the sugar cone mill) that contains fifty per cent.

{%) moisture. By reducing the incistore "the sugar content is enhanced. This tlried material contains: Wttllfll 8.52%, cellulose or pith 47.98% and fiber et3.50%5 At tor years of effort to perfect a process :1.-

practicel, rapid. means of economic drying icuncl. lltore'than a year was devoted Elpecification of Letters latcnt.

llntoutoal Mar...- 26, 11%;8.

Application filed May 10, 151?. Serial No; 18?,769.

to e. careful experiment to sepnrute the eel lulose or pith from the fiber, because every unit of 'filoer reduced in the cellulose or pith increases the feed-value of the celluloseor pith.

Having inmilinrized myself with the properties of hngnsse through years of st udy in an efi'ort to solve the feeding problem, I appreciate why failures have becunizulc in many eilorts attempted to exploit the fiber of sugar cztne bugusse for uuinufuctory. Bngnsse as it leaves the lust roller of the cane mill contains upproxiumtely fifty per cent. 'll'lOlSllUlE. This excessive moisture combined. with the saccharine causes ferinentetion thus depreciating its commercinl vnlue unless tlie-n'iutcrinl is compressed, e zpolling the air, a process which has never been (lone before with liugussc. lntil this moisture content-is eliminated any cl'l'ortto chemically trout must of necessity be so powerful (to ell'ectively (lest-my foreign elements not i'ioccssnry), that the tissues of-the fiber have been destroyed. Perhaps thcsulneinistake would have been uuule along the feed line hml iihor been as valuable as a feed material as it was for press-board or other fabrication. lint the requirements necesszu'y to the use of the cellulose or pith of bugnsse for food demanded the separation of the fiber. And thus in the solution of this mechunicul n'oblcui hes-been evolved an economic practical. rapid, incohunicul process for producing fiber and cellulose or pith from sugar cane bugnsse.

The proper handling of this material requires its compression as it is produced at the sugar cane mill thus preserving it for drying: its handling when drying in such a nuinncr as to insure: list, llw evaporation of moisture. Luci. its groper-mum through. stage to insure the separation of cellulose or pith from the fiber. 3rd: its further trcnh .mcnt throu 'h lientiiw or rollin devices in h of sugar cane bagasse to a point readil insuring the separation of cellulose or pit from fiber. here steam or hot air is used in drying a super-heater can be used, preferably an independent device fired separately from the boiler, to insure perfect control of the temperature which in addition increases the efficiency and capacity of the drying device. To effect the rapid drying of the bagasse live, superheated and exhaust steam is used as a basis and air heated to a propel-degree is employed. To further insure against loss in heat the live and super-heated steam is used independently and separately from the exhaust steam.

The bagasse is subjected to a second combing after it is partly dried to furtherpre pare it for final drying and to increase the separation of cellulose or pith from the fiber proper.

Any separation of the cellulose or pith or light material from the-bagasse Which occurs Where an inclosed drier is used is taken otf preferably by an exhaust fan or any other suitable manner and the bagasse continuing through the drying operation.

After passing through one or more comb ing devices and from each comber passing' through a drying apparatus, during which time there has occurred a certain separation as stated, the bagasse is conveyedthrough a macerator, first passing through an apparatus preferably of knives on a revolving mandrel to cut and reduce the size of the bagasse to insure a perfect separation in the macerating machine, which can be of any suitable design for the purpose and effect.

Sets of rollers operating at dilierent speeds can be used instead of m'acerating machines.

The fiber and cellulose or pith is then in a dry state and is' then separated in any suitable apparatus. The 1on strands of fiber are then ready to be baled and handled for commercial use. The cellulose and pith which is separated from the fiber is also in a dry state and can then be used forstock feed and for the manufacture of stock feed and other useful purposes.

What I claim and desire protected by Letters Patent:

1. The process of expunging air from ba- I gasse to retard fermentation, combing the same to produce fluffiness, subjecting it to the action of heat-to evaporate the moisture, after which it is cut, beaten or rubbed and screened. I

2. The process of treating bagasse to prepare it for commercial pur oses which conslsts 1n compressing it, com 'ing it to a state of flufiiness, removing moisture therefrom,

then repeating the operation of combing and further evaporating moisture and then cutting it in. suitable sizes after which it is beaten or rubbed and screened and separating the fiber from the pith and cellulose.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. OROURKE.

Witnesses:

CHARLES A. FARRELL, SAUL H. C. CARoUssINL 

